By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora
MANILA – Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez is optimistic Washington DC would continue its humanitarian work in the country, specifically on health and education, after officially exempting its security aid to Manila from its foreign aid freeze.
The envoy said he believes the US sees value in its development assistance to the country as one of its closest partners in the region.
“Iyong mga ibang aid na binibigay sa atin, especially on health and education, importante rin yan para sa kanila (For the other aid that they provide us, especially on health and education, those are still important to them), which is what we’re trying to work on right now,” he said in a radio interview on Tuesday.
“I’m confident na lahat ‘yan we will get a waiver and the US will continue with those programs dahil it’s also an important part of what they call their soft power influence on countries (that all of it will get a waiver and the US will continue with those programs because these form part of their soft power influence).”
The envoy noted that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously told Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo that these programs are most likely to continue, when they met on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference in Germany earlier this month.
“We’ve already sent our position paper, so to speak, to the State Department. Sinabi naman ni Secretary Rubio kay Secretary Manalo, noong nagkita sila sa Munich, na lahat ng mga programa na ‘yan, most of those will most likely itutuloy nila iyan (Secretary Rubio told Secretary Manalo when they met in Munich that all these programs are likely to continue),” Romualdez said.
“They’re just asking for a little time kasi ino-audit nila iyan, gusto nila ‘yong mga countries na talagang kaibigan nila at ally nila, itutuloy nila yan (because they are still auditing it, they want to continue it with countries that are their friends and allies).”
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Monday that the Philippines was formally notified that a portion of the US foreign military financing was exempted from the Trump administration’s 90-day pause on foreign assistance.
Romualdez, in the same interview, confirmed that at least USD336 million in security aid to the Philippines was granted a “waiver.” (PNA)
